Comparison of Adjectives Ch 26

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Comparison of AdjectivesCh 26 27
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Comparison of Adjectives

• The adjectives weve learned so far are used to
  describe a basic characteristic of the noun they
  modify.
• Eg clarus orator
• a famous orator
• This is called the positive degree of the
  adjective.

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Comparison of Adjectives

• Just like in English, Latin adjectives can be
  used to show that a person or thing has a greater
  degree of a certain characteristic than another
  person(s) or thing(s), or more than is usual or
  customary.

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Comparison of Adjectives

• The comparative degree is used to compare one
  person or thing with just one other.
• The superlative degree is used to compare a
  person or thing with two or more others.
• Positive a famous orator
• Comparative a more famous orator
• Superlative the most famous orator

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Formation of Comparatives and Superlatives

• The comparative and superlative are formed using
  the base of the adjective.
• Comparative
• base of positive -ior (M/F) or ius (N)
• (gen -ioris)
• Superlative
• base of positive -issimus, a, um

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Formation of Comparatives and Superlatives

• Pos. carus, a, um felix, gen felicis
• Comp. carior, -ius felicior, -ius
• Super. carissimus,a,um felicissimus, a, um

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Declension of Comparatives

• Superlatives decline like 1st/2nd declension
  adjs.
• Comparatives are 2-ending adjs (like,say, fortis,
  forte)BUT they follow the consonant declension!
  
• They are an exception to the rule that adjs of
  the 3rd declension belong to the i-stem
  declension.

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Declension of Comparatives
Singular Singular Plural Plural
M/F N M/F N
Nom longior longius longiores longiora
Gen longioris longioris longiorum longiorum
Dat longiori longiori longioribus longioribus
Acc longiorem longiorem longiores longiora
Abl longiore longiore longioribus longioribus
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Usage and Translation Comparatives

• Usually translated with more or with the suffix
  -er.
• Eg more beautiful, happier
• Sometimes has the force of rather (greater
  degree of quality than usual) or too (greater
  degree than desirable).
• Eg rather beautiful, too happy

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Usage and Translation Superlatives

• Usually translated with most or with the suffix
  -est.
• Eg most beautiful, happiest
• Sometimes has the force of very (especially when
  compared to what is usual or ideal).
• Eg very beautiful, very happy

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Quam

• Quam and the comparative
• When quam follows a comparative, it functions as
  a coordinating conjuction meaning than and
  linking the things being compared.
• The same case or construction that precedes quam
  follows it as well.
• Eg
• Hic vir est clarior quam ille.
• This man is more famous than that man.

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Quam

• Quam and the superlative
• When quam precedes a superlative, it acts
  adverbially and indicates that the thing modified
  has the greatest possible degree of a quality.
• as ______ as possible
• Eg Amicus erat vir quam sapientissimus.
• The friend was the wisest man possible.
• The friend was a man as wise as could be.

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Ablative of Comparison

• When the first element to be compared was in the
  nominative or accusative case, the second element
  was often used in the ablative case (no quam) to
  show the comparison.
• Eg Filia eius bellior uxore erat.
• His daughter was prettier than his wife.

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Peculiar Superlatives

• There are two groups of adjectives which,
  although regular in the comparatives, have
  peculiar forms of the superlative.

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Peculiar Superlatives

• Six adjectives ending in lis form the
  superlative by adding limus, a, um to the base.
• Ex
• facilis, e
• facil- -limus facillimus, a, um

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Peculiar Superlatives

• The six adjectives are
• facilis similis
• difficilis dissimilis
• gracilis humilis
• Any other adjective that ends in lis (like
  fidelis or utilis) is regular (fidelissimus,
  utilissimus).

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Peculiar Superlatives

• 2) Any adjective with a masculine ending in er,
  though forming regularly in the comparative,
  forms the superlative by adding rimus directly
  to the masculine er, NOT to the base.
• Ex
• Positive pulcher, -chra, -chrum
• Comparative pulchrior, -ius
• Superlative pulcherrimus, -a, -um

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Irregular Comparison

• There are a handful of adjectives which are so
  irregular that their forms will just have to be
  memorized.
• Luckily, we get a lot of English derivatives from
  these words!
• These adjectives include (see p 180)

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Irregular Comparison
Positive Comparative Superlative
bonus, a, um melior, -ius optimus, a, um






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Irregular Comparison
Positive Comparative Superlative
bonus, a, um melior, -ius optimus, a, um
magnus, a, um maior, -ius maximus, a, um





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Irregular Comparison
Positive Comparative Superlative
bonus, a, um melior, -ius optimus, a, um
magnus, a, um maior, -ius maximus, a, um
malus, a, um peior, -ius pessimus, a, um




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Irregular Comparison
Positive Comparative Superlative
bonus, a, um melior, -ius optimus, a, um
magnus, a, um maior, -ius maximus, a, um
malus, a, um peior, -ius pessimus, a, um
multus, a, um ----, plus plurimus, a, um



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Irregular Comparison
Positive Comparative Superlative
bonus, a, um melior, -ius optimus, a, um
magnus, a, um maior, -ius maximus, a, um
malus, a, um peior, -ius pessimus, a, um
multus, a, um ----, plus plurimus, a, um
parvus, a, um minor, minus minimus, a, um


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Irregular Comparison
Positive Comparative Superlative
bonus, a, um melior, -ius optimus, a, um
magnus, a, um maior, -ius maximus, a, um
malus, a, um peior, -ius pessimus, a, um
multus, a, um ----, plus plurimus, a, um
parvus, a, um minor, minus minimus, a, um
(prae, pro) prior,-ius primus, a, um

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Irregular Comparison
Positive Comparative Superlative
bonus, a, um melior, -ius optimus, a, um
magnus, a, um maior, -ius maximus, a, um
malus, a, um peior, -ius pessimus, a, um
multus, a, um ----, plus plurimus, a, um
parvus, a, um minor, minus minimus, a, um
(prae, pro) prior,-ius primus, a, um
superus, a, um superior, -ius summus, a, um supremus, a, um
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Declension of Plus

• In the plural, plus acts like an adjective with
  mixed i-stem and consonant-stem forms.
• (-ium in genitive plural, but a NOT ia in the
  neuter nominative and accusative see page 181
  for declension chart)
• In the singular, plus is a neuter noun which
  takes the partitive genitive/genitive of the
  whole.
• Ex plus pecuniae more (of) money

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